The present invention relates to digital data processing and, particularly, to computed tomography (CT). It has application, by way of non-limiting example, in systems and methods of CT volume reconstruction by use of backprojection on central processing units (CPUs) and graphic processing units (GPUs), e.g., in health care (and more particularly, by way of non-limiting example, in medical diagnostics), defense, airline, and biology industries, to name but a few.
A computerized axial tomography (CAT) or computed tomography (CT) scan is a procedure used for visualizing features throughout the interior of opaque solid objects. The most traditional use is for imaging the human body as a medical diagnostic tool. CT scanning also has applicability to a variety of other industries including, but not limited to, defense, airline, and biology industries. A typical CT scan system is formed of a radiation source, such as an x-ray tube, a radiation detector, and a computer system. The radiation source and detector are positioned on opposite sides of an object to image. A beam of radiation is then projected from the source towards the detector, and those photons not absorbed in the object are transmitted toward and impact on the detector. The result is an image on the detector that represents a two-dimensional projection image of the object from the current position. The source and radiation detector are rotated around the object, typically 180° or 360°, during which the imaging process is repeated at a number of intermediate positions, so that a series of two-dimensional images of the object over a range of angular orientations is acquired. A series of these projection images is then fed from the detector into the computer system. The computer system can then use these two-dimensional projections to create various reconstructions of the object.
This concept is known as image reconstruction, and there are a variety of mathematical algorithms that can be used to accomplish this. Feldkamp backprojection, algebraic reconstruction technique (ART), and maximum likelihood expectation maximization (MLEM) are three such examples. Most algorithms are based on the assumption that a large number of projection measurements are made, such that every point in the object is included in radiation paths from many angles. Feldkamp backprojection is a common reconstruction technique in which projection data is first convolved with a filter, and each view is successively superimposed over a square grid, which represents the volume that was imaged, at an angle that corresponds to its acquisition angle.
One example of backprojection is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,241, entitled, “Method and apparatus for CT reconstruction,” which is said to describe a method for reconstructing a scanned CT image that includes the steps of acquiring projection data of an object by use of a flat-panel detector and filtering and back projecting the projection data in order to reconstruct a three-dimensional image of the object. That patent purports to provide for direct fan-parallel and three-dimensional reconstruction of computed tomographic images, without loss of resolution associated with radial interpolation, while retaining imaging quality and backprojection speed gains associated with parallel reconstruction.
While the '241 patent is among the prior art that provides means for performing backprojections, depending on the size of the object to image and the number of projections acquired, filtered backprojection can be a time- and computation-intensive process. Presently, the time required for most CT scan systems to perform acquisition and reconstruction of an 512×512×512 voxel object reconstructed from a collection of (500) 512×512 projection images is in the order of one hour, on a high-end workstation.
Conventional spiral CT scan machines have large, extremely rigid toroidal-shaped gantries. To image an object or a patient, the patient is passed through the machine via a moving table. The radiation source and detector(s) travel around the gantry and completely encircle the object or patient while it is moved through the machine. While conventional CT scanners are still widely used, they have a number of drawbacks. The closed toroidal shape of the gantry does not allow a physician easy access to a patient while the patient is in the imaging device. Furthermore, conventional CT scanners are large and very expensive machines. An alternative design is a free standing, C-arm-based CT scanning system, in which the radiation source and detector are suspended masses attached to an open C-arm that moves in an orbit around the patient in a variety of orientations. C-arm-based systems are smaller and less expensive than are conventional CT scan machines. However, because the source and detector of C-arm-based CT scanning systems are supported by fairly long arms (a typical C-arm arc has about a 6-foot diameter), as the system rotates around the object to image, the movements of the source and detector do not conform rigidly to a perfectly circular orbit. The location of the source can be modeled to have just three degrees of freedom; however, the orientation of the detector must also be considered, so that it moves effectively with six degrees a freedom. This creates a problem, as the trajectory of the source and the detector rarely represent a true circular orbit, which is a requirement for using Feldkamp backprojection image reconstruction. Therefore, acquired projection data might be different from that which was expected.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved methods and apparatus for digital data processing and more particularly, computed tomography.
A related object of the invention is to provide such methods and apparatus as improve the speed at which CT computer systems perform three-dimensional reconstruction, particularly, for example, by backprojection.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such methods and apparatus as maintain a cost-effective approach when the CT computer system is used in processing.
A further object of the invention is to provide such methods and apparatus as are suitable for use with non-rigid CT scanning systems, such as those that employ C-arms.